


Guardians of the Sun

by Cantatrice18



Category: Sailor Moon - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Drama, F/F, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-01
Updated: 2011-06-28
Packaged: 2017-10-20 00:49:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/207039
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cantatrice18/pseuds/Cantatrice18
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A new dark force threatens the world, and youma attacks are increasing. Along with the enemies come two shadowy warriors, who walk the line between friend and foe. Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune must determine who the enemy really is. In the meantime, they meet a pair of girls remarkably similar to themselves, but the girls' relationship with each other has become cold and distant. Haruka and Michiru struggle to find the answer to the girls' rift, and bring them together once more.</p><p>Set before Sailor Moon S</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

She was standing atop a high building. In front of her a youma was rising from the ground, growing taller and taller, its razor sharp teeth gnashing. Its body was that of a muscular man, but no man was that huge. The youma stared directly at her and smiled. Then it reached towards the ground, and when it straightened she saw that a child was clutched in its fist. The youma never stopped staring at her as it raised the child to its lips…

Michiru cried out and woke, gasping for breath. Beside her Haruka rolled over, still asleep. The dreams had come before, but this one was worse – she’d never seen the youma attack a child. Tears of frustration came to her eyes – why couldn’t she see where the youma was? Why couldn’t she fight it, destroy it, instead of just dreaming about it over and over? She jumped as a hand intertwined with hers. Haruka had not been asleep after all. She sat up drowsily and pulled Michiru closer, holding her protectively. “The same dream?”

Michiru nodded. “Worse this time. But nothing helpful, I still don’t know where or when.”

Haruka sighed. “Nothing to do but wait until morning. Do you think you can get back to sleep?”

Michiru nestled closer in Haruka’s arms. She was, she realized, exhausted; the dreams had been taking their toll on her. She closed her eyes and was asleep almost instantly. Haruka held her close, but stayed awake the rest of the night, thinking.

The next morning at the breakfast table Haruka broached the subject of the previous night’s dream. Michiru told her every detail, but Haruka could find nothing more in this version of the youma’s attack than had been in any of the previous ones. Annoyed, she rose from the table, downing her third cup of coffee, and went to the closet, pulling her windbreaker off a hanger. “I’m headed out. I’ve got a race today.”

Michiru frowned slightly, her eyes worried. “Please be careful. You know that the other riders are out to get you.”

Haruka leaned over and pecked her on the cheek. “I’m always careful, just for you.”

...

Haruka ran her hands over the motorbike, giving it one last inspection. She loved the feeling of speed and power racing gave her. It also relieved a lot of anxiety and frustration – the bike was something she could control. She straightened up and was about to put on her helmet when she heard a grating voice behind her.

“So, you’ve decided to grace us with your presence once more, princess. And here I thought you’d finally come to your senses and gotten a decent girl’s job. You’d make a good secretary, though if it were me I’d want one prettier than you.”

One of the male riders had come up behind her unnoticed, and he had several followers flanking him. They snickered nastily at his jibes. Haruka recognized the leader; she had defeated him in several races before. Obviously he had not taken his losses kindly.

“I see no reason to quit riding, especially when I seem to win with some regularity.”

The man scowled and took a step nearer to her. “No bitch of a girl is ever going to win on this track. You’re going to be crushed, and I can’t wait to see it.”

Haruka stared at him coldly. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that. I’ve beaten you before and I’ll beat you again.”

The man looked like he was about to continue his tirade, but just then the bell sounded from the track, calling all riders to the starting line. The man smirked at her and turned to go. “Goodbye, princess,” he called over his shoulder. “I look forward to seeing you in pieces.”

Haruka lined up at the starting line with the other riders. There was the usual crew of muscle-bound men, with a few skinny squirts trying to look tough. Nearly all the riders were old hands at the track, and she knew their riding styles. They would be no trouble. There were three new riders on the track as well. One looked to be rather inexperienced – he sat on his bike like it was a horse, not a machine. The second was wearing red and yellow, and Haruka recognized the uniform from several races she'd watched. The man was Sasaki Maro, and he had won some competitions on the lower levels. He would be the one to look out for. The last rider was in black, and was near the end of the line. Haruka couldn’t really get a close look at him, but his body type suggested that he was of the want-to-look-tough group. She focused on Sasaki. The staring gun went off, and the race began. Sasaki was, indeed, a serious competitor. He wove in and out of the other riders, and Haruka was hard pressed to follow him. Once they had outpaced the pack, however, Haruka had the advantage. Her build was much lighter than Sasaki’s, allowing her more speed. At the next turn she easily outstripped him. She smiled triumphantly but her smile froze as she realized she was not alone. The rider in black was neck and neck with her, and was beginning to take the lead. Their weights were similar, and Haruka knew she could not count on extra speed. She rode with all her skill, but the other rider matched her move for move. As they came around the final corner one jump remained ahead of them. Haruka leaned forward and took the jump in perfect form, allowing for a comfortable landing. The rider in black had taken a different tactic, hitting the jump dead on and flying over it at top speed, out of control. At the last moment he shifted his weight, landing safely and crossing the finish line a half second ahead of Haruka. The rest of the pack followed them over the line, and the announcer proclaimed ecstatically that the black rider had set a new track record, beating the record that Haruka had set a year before. Haruka stared at the rider. The move he’d made at the end had been incredibly dangerous, but it had allowed him to win. The rider must be both fearless and unbelievably competitive.

She dismounted from her bike and looked around. As she’d expected, the men from before the race had returned, their leader wearing a gloating, vindictive smile. “Well, little girl, guess playtime is over. Hang up your helmet and go back to the kitchen where you belong, or we’ll have to rough you up a bit.”

Haruka glared at them, patience wearing thin. Her retort was rudely cut off when she felt hands grab her from behind. While she’d been focused on the leader, his cronies had taken the opportunity to sneak up on her. She was about to jerk away when a polite voice asked, “May I inquire as to what is going on here?” The rider in black had walked over to join them, and now stood in between the men’s leader and Haruka.

“Nothing to do with you,” retorted the man insolently. “We’re just teaching this little schoolgirl that racing is a man’s sport.”

The rider turned towards Haruka, then back to the man, and asked, “You think that women aren’t worthy to ride on this track? Even though one beat you?”

The men scowled, and one of the cronies said loudly, “You beat her, so obviously she’s no good.”

The rider turned to him. “That may be the case, but I was under the impression that we were discussing women in general.” He turned back to the leader. “I object strongly to the assertion that women are unfit to ride. I know for a fact that a woman could outdo every one of you.”

The men muttered threateningly, and their leader clenched his fists. “Impossible! How can you prove that a girl could beat us?”

“Because,” the rider said, removing the helmet, “one already did.” A long cascade of brown hair fell down the rider’s back. Earrings sparkled. She smiled at the stunned group. “I suggest you leave now.”

The men stared at each other in shock, then scattered, releasing Haruka. She stumbled and almost fell, and the rider reached out to steady her, but Haruka shoved her hand away. “I was taking care of it. You didn’t need to get involved.”

The woman straightened, still smiling. “I have no doubt that you would have fended them off, but I felt a need to personally remind them that they are all failures who should quit racing and go into accounting.” Haruka snorted involuntarily, and the woman grinned wider. “We haven’t yet been introduced. I am Yoshida Hiro.”

She held out her hand, and Haruka took it. “Tenoh Haruka. You ride very well.”

Hiro laughed. “I could say the same to you. I have never had such a close race in my life.”

Haruka hesitated, but then said boldly, “Would you be interested in a rematch? One on one, no spectators, just us?”

Hiro turned, sizing Haruka up. “I would be intrigued to see more of how you ride. How about tomorrow evening?” Haruka nodded assent and Hiro smiled. “Then I’ll see you here at six o’clock. Until then, Haruka-sama.”

She walked back to her bike and leapt lightly onto it, racing up to the road and out of sight.


	2. Chapter 2

Michiru rolled her eyes and sighed inwardly. Haruka was on her third retelling of what had happened at the racetrack the previous day. She’d been able to talk of nothing but the girl Hiro and her incredible abilities. “I swear she could have died on that last jump. I probably would have.”

“Well then, I’m very glad that it was she who was reckless and not you. I’d rather you lose a race than lose your life.” Michiru said bluntly.

Haruka smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, I’m just so amazed that there is another female rider who seems to love the sport like I do.”

Michiru felt a twinge of sadness, but pushed it aside. “When are you meeting her tonight?”

“Six o’clock sharp. There are no races scheduled, so we ought to be alone.”

Michiru shook her head sharply. “Alone? Not a chance. I’m coming with you.”

Haruka looked startled. “But you never come to the track – I thought you said it makes you nervous.”

“It does,” Michiru retorted, “but there’s no way I’m letting you race for your life against a rider of that caliber without being there to support you.” And remind you to be careful, she added silently.

Haruka looked skeptical, but nodded slowly. “I’ll pick you up at five, then. I want to get there a bit early to warm up.”

They arrived together at the track a little after five-fifteen to find that the black rider was already there. Michiru dismounted gracefully from the bike and Haruka grinned at her, then raced off to join the other rider in warming up. Michiru climbed the steps to the stands. Haruka had been right – with no races, the stands were deserted. Or, almost deserted. In a far corner sat a girl around Michiru’s age. Her hair was straight and black with a slight blue sheen to it. She had a sketchpad in her lap, and was watching the riders so intently that she didn’t notice when Michiru came up beside her. “This ought to be interesting to watch,” Michiru said softly, and the girl jumped and spun around. Michiru smiled. “I’m sorry to have startled you. I’m surprised to see anyone here – it isn’t a race day or anything.”

“Oh…” the girl said falteringly,” Well, I just like watching I guess. And they seem so evenly matched.”

Michiru held out her hand. “Kaiou Michiru” she said, and the girl smiled timidly, stretching her hand out as well.

“Sato Mika. I think I’ve heard of you. Don’t you play violin?”

“I play with the orchestra here sometimes,” Michiru acknowledged.

The girl nodded, then turned to watch the track. Michiru shifted her attention back to the riders as well. Hiro and Haruka had lined up at the starting line. The pair counted down from three in unison, then took off, engines roaring. Michiru could see that Hiro was, indeed, an incredible rider. The pair was side by side throughout the race. Each made evasive maneuvers designed to throw off the other rider’s concentration, but it was like their minds were linked – both girls responded to the other's tactics immediately. They raced neck and neck to the final jump. Then, just as before, Hiro jumped head on, with no regard for safety. Mika leaned forward, eyes wide and terrified. At the last second Hiro pulled up and landed in one piece, crossing the finish ahead of Haruka. Both Mika and Michiru sighed in relief, then looked at each other and giggled. “I’m always so worried when they do jumps like that. They look so dangerous,” Michiru said, smiling slightly.

Mika turned back to the track, her own smile fading. “She has no concern for her safety. One of these days she’s going to lose her balance, and then…”

Michiru put a hand on the other girl’s shoulder. “I’m sure she knows what she’s doing. She’s fine for now, at least.”

Mika nodded, but the worried look remained. Michiru glanced down at the sketchpad. On it, Mika had drawn a portrait of the black rider, helmet off and hair streaming in the wind. Michiru decided not to comment, instead saying “I think we should go down and congratulate them. They both rode an incredible race.”

Mika brightened, and the pair headed down the bleacher stairs, walking over to the track. Haruka and Hiro were talking animatedly, and Michiru felt the same twinge as she had that morning. As she and Mika approached Haruka turned and grinned, leading Hiro over to greet them. “Hiro-san, this is Michiru.”

Hiro smiled as she shook hands. “Haruka-san has told me all about you. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Michiru smiled as well, though not as broadly. “Haruka has told me about you as well. You are an incredible rider.”

“Hey, Michiru, introduce your friend,” Haruka interrupted.

Michiru raised an eyebrow at her, but then turned to Mika. “This is Sato Mika. We met up in the stands.”

Haruka shook hands and introduced herself, but Hiro said only, “We’ve met.”

Mika looked down, blushing slightly. Haruka and Michiru exchanged confused glances. Hiro turned and said abruptly, “Well, I‘d better be going. I’ll be practicing here tomorrow as well – want to come?”

Haruka grinned excitedly. “I’ll be here.”

She and Michiru walked back to where Haruka had parked her bike. Michiru was silent on the ride home, but held on more tightly to Haruka than usual. When they reached the apartment Michiru dismounted and was about to enter when Haruka grabbed her arm. “Michiru, what’s wrong?”

Michiru shook her head and attempted a smile. “Nothing. You’re right; she’s a very good rider. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself.”

She turned, but Haruka pulled her back. “That’s not it. You’ve been quiet since this morning. Are you upset? Does this have something to do with Hiro-san?”

“No, no, I’m fine, really. You and she should have a great time together.”

Haruka pulled her even closer and said softly, “Don’t lie to me, Michiru, you’re terrible at it. Something is upsetting you and I want to help.”

Michiru looked down. “It’s just…you two seem to have so much in common. I feel like she connects with you in way I never… in a way I can’t.” Haruka embraced her, holding her tightly and she was ashamed to feel a tear run down her cheek.

“Michiru, she and I are going to be good friends, I can tell. But I could never love her. I love you and I always will. We are connected on the deepest level: partners in battle as well as in life. I love how different you are from me – how graceful and talented you are, how calm you can be in the toughest situations. You are so gentle, so compassionate, yet so strong as well – how could you think that I would ever stop loving you?”

Michiru rested her head against Haruka’s chest. “I’m sorry. I should have known. It’s just – my worst fear is having to live without you.”

Haruka held her even closer. “There’s something that we have in common: I couldn’t live without you either.”

They stood for a moment, then suddenly Michiru stiffened, her eyes wide and unseeing. “The youma,” she said frantically, “the youma, he’s on the roof of the Royal Park Hotel!”

They raced towards downtown in their convertible, ignoring the speed limit and weaving in and out of traffic. They arrived at the hotel in record time, running through the parking garage and taking the elevator from there. Reaching the roof, they quickly transformed, but they knew they were too late. There were no sounds of a youma attack. Then, from around the corner, they heard voices.

“No luck,” one voice said disappointedly.

“At least they didn’t get it,” said the other. Both voices sounded female. The sailors raced around the corner just in time to see two dark figures leap over the side of the roof. They ran to the edge and looked over, but there was no sign of the women. Turning back, they saw a teenage girl lying on the ground. Michiru knelt beside her and took her pulse. “She’s alive, and I don’t see any serious injuries...”

The girl stirred, and the sailors exchanged looks, quickly transforming back into their normal selves. The girl’s eyelids flickered open, and she looked around dazedly. “What happened?” she asked.

Haruka shook her head. “We don’t know, we got here too late. You don’t remember anything?”

The girl shook her head, bemused. “I only remember walking home from school. Where is this?”

Haruka helped her stand, and the pair guided her to the elevator. They gave her a ride home, and quickly explained to the girl’s irate parents that she had passed out. The girl’s mother frowned worriedly and ushered her into the house, while the girl’s father thanked the pair for bringing his daughter home safely. He followed his wife inside, leaving Haruka and Michiru standing by their car. “Strange, isn’t it, that she would have no memory of what happened?” Michiru said.

Haruka shrugged. “It’s probably for the best. We wouldn’t want her to remember a youma attack.”

“But why didn’t he hurt her? And what happened to him?”

Haruka frowned. “I think it has to have something to do with that pair we saw. They might have been the ones to knock her out – they did seem rather interested in her.”

Michiru sighed as they got back into the car. “It looks like our enemy is more complicated than we thought.”


	3. Chapter 3

Every evening for the rest of the week Haruka could be found at the racetrack. Michiru tried to give her privacy, but couldn’t help coming occasionally to observe. Mika was there every time she went. The girl watched Hiro sadly, and Michiru wondered why Hiro had been so distant to Mika when they’d been introduced. As every race finished, Mika and Michiru made their way down the stands and onto the track to see the riders. Though Hiro greeted Michiru warmly, she completely ignored Mika’s presence. By the end of the week Mika had stopped coming onto the track at all; as soon as the race finished she disappeared. Haruka noticed their odd behavior as well, but Hiro always evaded any questions, distracting Haruka with talk of machinery and motocross. Michiru couldn’t help but wonder what the girls’ past was like, and she found herself thinking about them constantly. One morning Michiru woke up at five o’clock, her mind teeming with thoughts of Mika and Hiro. Frustrated, she slid out of bed (careful not to wake Haruka), and dressed silently. Without stopping to eat, she grabbed her violin case and headed out the door.

The park was a short walk from their apartment, and Michiru was there within ten minutes. She made her way towards the outdoor amphitheater; it was one of her favorite places to practice when she wanted to be alone. Approaching it, she heard the soft sound of a flute playing. Someone had gotten there first. She moved stealthily around to the front of the theater, allowing her to see the player. There, on the front of the stage, stood Mika. She was playing a slow Debussy piece that Michiru recognized. Her technique was perfect, and she navigated the long phrases without any trouble. Michiru slowly got out her violin and began to play a harmony. Mika jumped, then relaxed when she saw who the violinist was. She continued playing, and they finished the song together. Michiru walked towards the stage, smiling. “I had no idea you played. You’re very good.”

Mika ducked her head, embarrassed. “I only play for fun. I like playing here; it’s quiet and no one disturbs me.”

She blushed as she realized what she’d said. “I mean – I didn’t mean to imply that you disturbed me, or anything…“

Michiru shook her head. “I know what you meant. It’s the same reason I come here. It’s very peaceful and relaxing, somehow. I try to practice here whenever I can.”

Mika nodded gratefully.

Michiru moved to sit down on one of the benches, and motioned Mika to join her. “I’ve seen you at the track a lot lately. Do you come every time they race?”

Mika looked down. “I can’t help it. I want to make sure she’s – I want to make sure they stay safe.”

Michiru laid a hand on Mika’s arm. “You care about her a lot, don’t you?”

Mika hesitated, then nodded. “We used to be… close.”

Michiru frowned, and asked gently, “What happened?”

Mika looked away. “About a year ago, we just split. It was very sudden. She found something about me that she didn’t like. She hasn’t come near me since. But I can’t – “

She broke off and tried to rise, but Michiru pulled her back down. “Can’t what?”

Mika stared straight ahead. “I can’t stop following her. I can’t stop being around her, it hurts too much. I know she doesn’t want to see me any more than she has to, but she’s gotten so reckless these days. It’s like she doesn’t care about life anymore. I’m so afraid that one day she’ll get hurt, and I won’t be there for her.”

Michiru wrapped an arm around Mika’s shoulder. She understood how the girl felt. If anything tore her apart from Haruka she wouldn’t be able to stop herself from following her partner, even if Haruka didn’t want her to. She and Mika sat together, watching the world awaken around them. In the distance they heard a church bell chime seven, and Mika stood. “I’d better get going – I have class at eight.”

Michiru nodded and watched her go. She stayed on the bench for some time afterwards, thinking.

...

That evening she related their conversation word for word to Haruka. They both could find no simple explanation for the girls’ behavior. “What did she mean, ‘found something about me’? What was there to find, that would cause a rift that bad?”

Michiru shook her head. “I have no idea. I can’t even think of something that would drive me apart from you in that way."

Haruka grinned at her. “I’m grateful for that.”

Michiru smiled back distractedly. “It just seems so odd; Hiro isn’t confrontational, as I’d expect, she just avoids Mika like the plague.”

Haruka shook her head and rose from the table. “Well, we’re sure to see more of them. We should probably just – “ She stopped as she looked back at Michiru.

Michiru’s eyes had glazed over, and she was intent on something Haruka couldn’t see. “An alleyway,” she whispered, “but where? Show me where!” Her eyes widened and she broke free of the trance. Leaping up from the table she ran for the door. Haruka followed after her and they vaulted into the car, not even bothering to open the doors.

“Where to?” Haruka asked as they backed out, tires screeching.

“Behind Juban High School, across from the gym.”

As they arrived they saw several bright flashes of light, and heard voices yelling. They transformed and ran towards the scene to find the two dark figures from before fighting against a muscular male youma like the one in Michiru’s dream. Haruka raised a finger to her lips, and they slipped behind a corner to watch. The youma was no match for the figures in black. They attacked from different sides, confusing it, and it let out a roar of pain and frustration.

“They’re good,” Haruka said, but Michiru frowned.

“They aren’t working together, though. They’re attacking separately – no teamwork.”

Haruka saw that she was right. At that moment, one of the figures fired a burst of white light towards the youma, hitting it squarely in the chest. The youma froze mid-scream and collapsed, disintegrating. The pair turned and walked towards where Haruka and Michiru were hiding, then knelt on the ground. A girl was lying there, about the same age as the one before. One of the figures held a hand over the girl’s forehead. “No, not her either.”

They turned to go, but Haruka and Michiru stepped out from around the corner. “Where do you think you’re going?” Haruka called brashly. The figures spun to face them.

Now that the youma was gone they were illuminated by the streetlights. Both were young women dressed in sailor uniforms, but unlike those worn by sailors Uranus and Neptune, their uniforms were solid black. One had a silver belt around her waist, and her uniform had a slight sheen to it. The other wore no decorations, and it was as if she was absorbing the light around her, becoming shadowy and indiscernible. They wore knee high boots and spiked wristbands, and their long hair was tied back in identical braids. All in all, their appearances were quite threatening, an impression made even stronger by the looks of displeasure they both wore. They moved into fighting stances. Haruka approached, undeterred by their hostility. “It seems like the pair of you have been getting into a lot of fights lately. Mind telling us why you always seem to be seen in the company of youma?”

“What’s it to you?” the darker warrior called.

Haruka stopped, a hand on her hip. “I happen to dislike people who prey on innocents, and it seems to me that you have little interest in helping these girls who are attacked!”

The warriors clenched their fists. “Who are you to tell us what we can and cannot do?” the one with the silver belt rejoined.

Michiru came up to stand next to Haruka. “We are the Sailor Senshi, Sailor Uranus and Sailor Neptune,” she called, her voice cold. “We protect this city against dark forces, and we cannot allow anyone to disturb the peace we have created.”

The darker warrior growled and looked as though she was about to attack, but the other warrior grabbed her arm. “Stop it. They’re lunar.”

The pair looked at each other for a long moment, then turned as one and ran, vaulting over fences and disappearing into the night.


	4. Chapter 4

Over the next few weeks, Haruka and Michiru got to know their new friends better. Hiro, it turned out, was also a runner, and she and Haruka began running in the early mornings. Mika painted as well as drew, and had an exhibition in a gallery nearby. Michiru tried unsuccessfully to convince her to audition for the symphony orchestra, but Mika always refused, saying that the flute was her way of relaxing. They continued to play duets together, and Mika proved as skillful at harmony as she was at melody. Hiro would often come to the apartment for breakfast after she and Haruka finished running, and Mika would occasionally come by for dinner when she and Michiru met each other at the park. Both Hiro and Mika made sure not to run into one another, while still making time to see their friends. Michiru had to wonder whether they had made some sort of agreement, though with Hiro still ignoring Mika’s existence it seemed unlikely. Finally, one evening at the track, Michiru had had enough. As soon as the race ended, she invited Mika to dinner at a restaurant nearby. Mika readily agreed, and they headed down the bleacher stairs. Michiru walked towards the track where Haruka and Hiro were standing, ignoring Mika’s discomfort. “Hiro-san,” she called, and the riders looked around. ”We were just going to head to dinner, want to come?”

Hiro hesitated, glancing at Mika, but Haruka raised an eyebrow at her. “You were just saying that you were hungry.” Hiro nodded reluctantly.

“Good, that’s settled then,” Michiru said firmly. “Do you need a ride?”

Hiro shook her head. “I’ll take the bike and meet you guys there.”

They gave her directions and she hurried away. Haruka turned and saw Mika staring at the ground awkwardly. She put an arm around the girl’s shoulders. “Don’t look so scared. It will be fine, I guarantee it.”

An hour later she was regretting her promise. Their attempts at conversation between all four of them had failed miserably. Each rejection by Hiro made Mika shrink a little more, closing herself off. Finally Haruka gave up, instead engaging Hiro in a discussion about two-stroke versus four-stroke engines. Michiru caught on and began to draw Mika out by asking her questions about a new art exhibition she was mounting. Haruka noticed that though Hiro was engaged in the debate on mechanics, she nevertheless kept glancing over to where Mika and Michiru were talking. Haruka smiled inwardly; perhaps Hiro was not as dismissive of Mika as she tried to seem. Their food arrived and the conversation tapered off, but this time the silence was more comfortable. The meal ended and the four walked to the door, heading over to the parking lot where Haruka had left the convertible. They reached the car and Haruka was turning to offer Mika a ride home when she saw it. A plume of blood red smoke was rising from the ground, slowly solidifying into a many-armed creature. The youma had a female face, though her teeth were pointed and sharp. Six tentacles sprouted from her sides, each with a steel spike at the end of it. “Well isn’t this nice?” the youma said, her voice high and grating. “All the little girlies together in one place.”

Haruka reached out to touch Hiro on the shoulder. “Hiro-san, take Mika and run.”

Hiro didn’t move. She was frozen, her gaze darting between the youma and her companions. Haruka and Michiru glanced at each other. They couldn’t transform in front of the others, but if they didn’t someone was bound to get hurt. The youma, however, had no reservations. A tentacle came spinning out of the air, aimed straight at Michiru’s heart. Haruka gasped, but before she could make a move Mika had thrown herself in front of Michiru. Hiro shouted “No!” but it was too late.

Just as the tentacle reached Mika, a crackling blue shield appeared in front of her. The steel spike glanced off of it, and the youma hissed in pain. Haruka stared at Mika. The girl knelt in front of Michiru, breathing hard, her hand outstretched. Dark threads of power flowed from her fingertips, forming the shield that had protected her and Michiru.

“Idiot!” Hiro screamed, running to Mika and yanking her to her feet. She reached up with one hand and snapped her fingers. A sound like a sonic boom filled the air, followed by a flash of white light. When she reappeared, she wore the dark senshi uniform with the silver belt. She let go of Mika and the girl stumbled back, coughing, but when she straightened she too snapped her fingers. Haruka thought for a moment that nothing had happened, but then felt an awful pressure around her body, as though she was being drawn into a black hole. Darkness surrounded Mika, and when she became visible once more she wore the plain black senshi uniform. She and Hiro raced to the youma, tackling it from both sides to confuse it. The youma was wise to their tricks, and fought hard. Several times the girls had to leap back in order to avoid being hit with the thing’s tentacles, and once Mika came dangerously close to being impaled by a steel spike. Finally Hiro had a clear shot, and she fired off a blast of white light that hit the youma’s chest. The monster disintegrated into dust. There was a moment of silence as both girls knelt on the ground, panting. Hiro stood and walked over to Mika. As the other girl tried to rise, Hiro struck her hard across the face. Behind them Michiru gasped. Hiro yanked Mika to her feet, staring at her disgustedly. “Idiot,” she repeated, “you endangered yourself and our mission. Don’t you ever think before you act?”

Mika pulled her arm out of Hiro’s grasp, staring into her eyes without a shred of contrition. “My mission involves protecting the people I love.”

Hiro’s eyes flicked over to where Michiru stood, and she frowned even more deeply. “Your ‘protection’ is what got us here in the first place,” she hissed vehemently. “You only think of yourself, never of the larger picture, and you end up destroying everything you touch. I wish we’d never been partnered, not then and not now.”

Mika took a step back, shocked and hurt. Her eyes brimmed with tears, and she turned and ran, disappearing into the dark. Hiro stood for a moment, then wearily walked back to where her motorbike was parked, past Haruka and Michiru. The pair looked at each other, still stunned, and Haruka called out “Hiro-san, wait!”

Hiro turned for a moment and looked at them sadly. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. Then she swung a leg over the side of the bike and was off, vanishing quickly into the night.


	5. Chapter 5

For the next three days there was no sign of either Mika or Hiro. Haruka found herself going out of her way to drive by the track, searching for the black uniform. Michiru practiced more than ever at the amphitheater, hoping to hear the sound of a flute accompanying her. Finally, on the evening of the third day, she saw a shadowy figure observing her from the trees. She finished the piece and the figure turned to go, but Michiru walked swiftly up behind her, grabbing her by the arm. The girl turned and tried to jerk away, and Michiru was shocked to see that it was not Mika but Hiro who had been watching.

“Hiro,” she breathed, and Hiro stopped trying to pull away, instead staring at the ground. She looked exhausted, and Michiru suspected that she hadn’t been sleeping.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you,” she mumbled.

Michiru shook her head. “You didn’t, I’m just surprised to see you. When you both disappeared, I thought maybe you’d left town…”

Hiro looked up at her, eyes full of pain. “You haven’t…you haven’t seen her either?” she asked, her voice hoarse.

Michiru shook her head again. “I’ve seen no sign of her since that night.” Hiro blushed and tried to pull away again, but Michiru refused to let go. “You’ve been looking for her?”  
Hiro nodded. “I’ve searched everywhere. I thought she might have come to see you, because, well…you seemed very close.”

Michiru saw what Hiro was trying to say, and shook her head a third time. “Mika and I are just friends. But she hasn’t come near me, or Haruka either.”

Hiro looked away, and Michiru noticed that she was shaking slightly. “I’m just – I’m worried that something’s happened to her. She’s never stayed away so long.”

Michiru sighed and said, as gently as she could, “Hiro, I think she might be under the impression that you don’t want to see her anymore.”

Hiro blushed even further. “I know. I lost my temper. She just always seems to be disregarding her duty because of how she feels about people.”

Michiru smiled wryly. “I, for one, am glad she broke the rules this time; I would probably be dead if she hadn’t.”

Hiro looked down and whispered, “Me too.”

She turned away again, and this time Michiru let go of her arm. “I’d better be going. Please let me know if you see her.”

Michiru nodded, and Hiro walked slowly back towards the road. Michiru stood for a time, then packed up her violin and headed for home. She hoped that Haruka would be there; they had a lot to discuss.

Haruka was indeed home, and had made dinner as well. Michiru smiled, and the pair sat down at the table. Haruka frowned when she heard that Mika was still missing. “At least we know that Hiro is safe, but I honestly thought that they’d left the city. Do you think Mika’s still here?”

Michiru nodded slowly. “Despite what happened, I still don’t think she’d be able to leave Hiro behind. She’s weathered all of Hiro’s rejections in the past.”

“That was more than just a rejection,” Haruka argued. “Hiro basically told her that she wished they’d never met. Mika must be devastated. I don’t blame her for staying away – she probably thinks that Hiro hates her.”

Michiru nodded sadly. “If only she’d been able to see Hiro this evening. I don’t think Hiro’s slept since that night.”

Haruka brightened slightly. “Well, we know they’ll be able to find each other as soon as a youma attacks – Mika won’t be able to stay away if Hiro is in danger.”

Michiru smiled, but her eyes were still worried. “But will Mika know of a youma attack without Hiro? I’m not sure how they detect a youma’s presence. If they’re like us, only one of them senses the attack.”

Haruka nodded seriously. “We’ll just have to see.”

Their chance came sooner than they’d expected. Haruka was at her desk, and was just pulling a textbook off her shelf, when she heard a crash from the kitchen. She raced in to find Michiru standing over the kitchen sink, a broken glass in her hand. She’d obviously been doing the dishes, but now stood staring blankly at the wall in front of her. Haruka waited impatiently until she relaxed, then asked “Where?”

Michiru turned, looking puzzled. “The motocross track, of all places.”

Haruka’s eyes widened, but she wasted no time thinking. The pair raced to their car, accelerating to 80mph as they hit the speedway. The track was nearby, and as they reached it they saw the characteristic flashes of white light: Hiro had already arrived. They raced towards the track, but stopped short when they saw the scene before them. Hiro’s motorcycle lay abandoned on the side of one of the jumps. She had clearly been practicing when the youma had appeared, choosing to ride at night so that no one else would be around. The youma was male, his hands clawed and his body covered in spikes. Hiro was sending bolt after bolt of light at him, but he blocked them all. She looked worn out, yet there was no sign of Mika. The youma was able to focus its attention entirely on her, and it grinned evilly. With one hard swipe he backhanded her when she was in midair, impaling her on his spikes. She screamed and fell to the ground, unmoving. The youma laughed and reached towards her. “I’ve got you now, little girl. All I need is your partner, and victory will be ours.”

A ball of gold light hit him in the back, and he arched, roaring in pain. He spun just in time to see the combined blue and gold light of the sailors’ attacks streaking towards him. They hit him in the chest, and he crumbled into dust. Haruka and Michiru ran to where Hiro lay, kneeling beside her. A deep stab wound below her left shoulder bled sluggishly. She was pale, and her lips had a slight blue tinge to them. The ground beneath her was stained red. Without a moment’s thought, Haruka lifted her and carried her to the car. She placed Hiro gently on the back seat, then grabbed a blanket from the trunk and threw it over her. Michiru climbed into the back seat beside her and put pressure on the wound, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. Haruka gritted her teeth and raced towards the nearest hospital, hoping against hope that they wouldn’t be too late.


	6. Chapter 6

_Darkness. She felt cold and alone. Tiny lights began to pop into view – stars coming out. They illuminated a horrible scene. Youma surrounded her, more than she could count. Behind them in the distance she saw Mika running as fast as she could, hand in hand with a figure in a long black dress. The youma closed in, and she could no longer see anything, not even the stars. She tried to fight back, but her arms wouldn’t move. The largest youma smiled and reached a clawed hand towards her. She screamed, and a crackling blue shield sprang up around her. She spun, confused. Mika was standing behind her, power flowing from her outstretched hands to form a protective barrier around her partner. The woman in black was nowhere to be seen. “No!” she screamed desperately, “No, no, no!”_

“She seems so restless. We’ve done all we can for her, and the morphine should be keeping away the pain, but she doesn’t seem to be settling down at all.” The nurse shrugged apologetically.

Haruka stared at where Hiro lay, tossing and turning on the hospital bed. “Do you think it would be safe to move her? She might relax more if she is in familiar surroundings.”

The nurse nodded hesitantly. “It can’t hurt. Thanks to the transfusion all of her vitals are stabilized. We’re just lucky you two matched blood types.”

Haruka smiled slightly, and Michiru put an arm around her. The nurse frowned thoughtfully. “It just seems so odd that an injury of this type could come from a motorcycle accident.”

Michiru interjected quickly, “Those bikes can be very dangerous, especially the way she rides.”

The nurse nodded sadly. “I just hope she’s learned her lesson. If you two hadn’t gotten her here just in time, she might have lost the use of that arm.” She turned back towards them. “I’ll have to ask the attending doctor, but personally I agree that familiar surroundings might calm her down and help her recovery.”

She hurried away, leaving Haruka and Michiru staring concernedly at Hiro. The girl was still agitated, and twice they heard her moan incoherently. Michiru glanced up at Haruka. “Do you really think moving her is the best idea?”

Haruka gave a small nod. “When she wakes up she’ll likely be very disoriented. Her last moment of consciousness was fighting a youma. I think it would be best if we were there to calm her down, without having to worry about civilians overhearing.”

Michiru exhaled slowly, and looked at Hiro once more. “Still no sign of Mika. I hope she’s alright.”

Haruka put an arm around Michiru’s shoulders and they stood together in silence, watching their friend’s restless dreaming.

The doctor approved of Haruka’s plan, and Hiro was discharged into their care. They took her home and settled her in their bedroom, taking turns watching her throughout the night. Haruka found that holding her hand comforted her and made her breathe more evenly. Finally, in the early hours of the morning, Hiro opened her eyes. She looked around dazedly, and spotted Haruka dozing at her side.

As soon as she felt Hiro move, Haruka snapped awake. “Michiru,” she called softly, and her partner came in from the living room.

Hiro seemed disconcerted to find herself resting comfortably in their bedroom. “What happened to me?” she asked.

Haruka and Michiru glanced at each other. They hadn’t planned out a response beforehand, but they were both aware that telling Hiro why they had really come to the track was out of the question.

“I was coming to the track to practice,” Haruka said hurriedly.

Michiru caught on and continued, “We found you lying by one of the jumps. We took you to the hospital as quickly as we could. Haruka donated blood for a transfusion, and the doctors cleaned you up as quickly as they could. So far there are no signs of infection, and you ought to recover without any trouble.”

Hiro nodded slowly, but looked uneasy. “You didn’t see anything? How I got injured?”

Haruka and Michiru looked at each other once more. “We assumed you’d just fallen from your bike. It was lying nearby.”

Hiro still looked doubtful. She glanced around the room, and her face fell. “Have either of you seen…has there been any word…”

Michiru shook her head sadly. “I’m sorry. We still haven’t heard from Mika-san.”

Hiro looked down, blushing. “Thank you. Thank you for taking me in like this. I’m sorry to have imposed upon you; I’ll leave as soon as I can.”

Haruka shook her head sharply. “You’re too injured to be wandering about on your own!”

Michiru laid a hand on her partner's arm to calm her, then looked at Hiro. “There is nothing to forgive. You are welcome to stay here as long as need be.”

She turned and walked back through the doorway. Haruka slowly settled herself into the chair next to the bed, and Hiro lay her head on the pillow once more, exhausted. She dozed for a few minutes, then woke as Michiru came back into the room carrying two mugs of tea. She handed one to Hiro, then one to Haruka, who sighed gratefully. It had been a long night, with both of them catnapping in between shifts watching Hiro. There was silence as the pair drank deeply, then Hiro exhaled as she set her empty mug on the nightstand. The color had returned to her cheeks, and she smiled slightly. Michiru smiled in answer. “How are you feeling? Can you move to the kitchen for breakfast, or would it hurt your shoulder too much?”

Hiro looked down at herself, her expression almost comical as she realized how many bandages she wore. “I – I think I’m alright. It doesn’t really hurt, at least.”

Haruka reached around her waist, supporting her as she stood. They walked to the kitchen, where Michiru had already laid out steaming bowls of miso soup and rice. Haruka noticed a small bowl of natto laid out to one side, and made a face. Michiru nudged her. “You don’t have to eat it. I thought she might want it.” Haruka looked down sheepishly. She had been very vocal about her dislike for the dish in the past.

Hiro, however, had no qualms about the food, and proved to have as large an appetite as Haruka. Michiru was forced to whip up some eggs to supplement the meal, but did so with good grace: Hiro’s recovery was all that mattered. They spent the day relaxing. Both Haruka and Michiru had agreed that all their other obligations should be set aside for a while in order to help Hiro recover as quickly as possible. They played cards for some time, and Hiro found that she had a talent for poker. She and Haruka battled it out over several games and played long after Michiru had given up and switched her attention to a book. Hiro napped through much of the afternoon, though she insisted she sleep on the couch. The other two protested, but in fact were very grateful: they had gotten far too little sleep the night before, and were beginning to feel the effects. They slept soundly in each other’s arms, and awoke only as the sky was beginning to darken, around six o’clock. Hiro was already awake, and they apologized for oversleeping, but she waved them off. Michiru hurriedly made dinner while Haruka distracted Hiro with the latest racing scores from the motocross tracks across the country. Hiro condition had improved noticeably over the course of the day, and Haruka had a sneaking suspicion that her powers were aiding her recovery.

The three of them were just sitting down to eat when they heard a faint knock at the door. Haruka and Michiru looked at one another, puzzled, and both rose to answer, apologizing to Hiro. Haruka swung open the door to reveal the disheveled form of Mika. She looked gaunt and drained, her eyes haunted. The three of them stood in stunned silence, then from behind them a voice squeaked “Mika?”

Hiro had followed them from the other room and now stood in the hallway, her expression shocked and disbelieving. Ignoring Haruka and Michiru, Mika ran inside, stopping just short of Hiro, her hands outstretched. A pained expression appeared suddenly on her face, and she looked away, her eyes full of tears. Hiro took a quick step forward, wrapping her arms around Mika’s neck and holding the smaller girl tightly. “Hiro,” Mika cried hoarsely, and broke into sobs, her body shaking. Hiro murmured Mika’s name over and over, holding on to her as though terrified she’d disappear. Mika’s sobs subsided, and she whispered, “I thought you were dead. I went to the track to look for you, and I saw your bike lying there, and the blood…” She buried her face in Hiro’s good shoulder and continued, her voice muffled, “I was so sure a youma had killed you, that I hadn’t been there to protect you.”

Hiro ran a hand through Mika’s hair to comfort her. “I’m alright – he didn’t finish me off completely. Haruka-san and Michiru-san found me.”

Mika looked up at the two of them, and her eyes were so full of gratitude that they felt overwhelmed. “It was the least we could do,” Haruka mumbled. She and Michiru snuck out of the hallway and back into the kitchen, leaving the girls alone together.

Michiru went straight to the stove, dishing out another bowl of stew, and Haruka laid another place setting on the table. The both froze as they heard the girls’ conversation from the other room.

“How did you manage to defeat the youma?” Mika asked.

“I didn’t,” Hiro replied softly. “I don’t know what happened from the time he hit me until I woke up here.”

Mika shuddered, but Hiro continued. “I think it must have had something to do with the Sailor Senshi.” Haruka and Michiru glanced at each other, wide eyed.

“Why on earth would they get involved?” asked Mika distrustfully.

Hiro shrugged slightly, wincing as she did so. “I just don’t see any other explanation for the youma’s disappearance. Only a team of warriors could have defeated it.”

Mika’s voice shook. “I wasn’t there. I let you down, and you got hurt. I’ll never forgive myself.”

Hiro held her even closer. “It was my fault you left at all…” Her voice broke, and she paused, collecting herself. “When you were gone I realized why you acted the way you did, then and now. It hurt so much to be without you. If something threatened to tear you apart from me, I don’t think I’d be able to stand it. I’d do anything to protect you, even if it meant failing my mission. I love you too much.”

The girls were quiet once more, and Michiru took the opportunity to usher them into the kitchen. They ate in silence, Hiro and Mika holding hands the entire time. Halfway through, Haruka felt Michiru’s hand intertwine in hers, and looked up to find her partner gazing at her lovingly. Haruka smiled back, and they finished the meal hand in hand.

Haruka had just finished clearing the dishes when she saw Michiru freeze in place, eyes unfocused. “Hiro,” Mika asked uneasily, and Haruka saw that Hiro wore an expression identical to Michiru’s. Haruka smirked inwardly. Apparently Michiru’s guess had been correct – only one of the black warriors could predict youma attacks. The tense silence seemed interminable, then both Michiru and Hiro broke free at the same time. Hiro rushed to stand, nearly knocking over her chair, and winced at the pain in her shoulder. Mika grabbed her hand. “You can’t go Hiro, you’re hurt. I’ll go – just tell me where.”

Hiro shook her head. “You can’t go alone, you’ll never be able to fight it off.”

Mika kissed her hand. “I’ll be alright. Just promise me you’ll stay safe.”

Hiro looked away, biting her lip, but finally whispered “The hospital. It’s on the roof.”

Mika nodded, then spun, heading for the door. Haruka and Michiru exchanged quick glances, then Haruka strode quickly over to Mika, catching onto her arm before she reached the door. “I’ll go with you.”

Mika’s eyes widened and she was about to protest, but Haruka cut her off. “At the very least I can drive you there. I promise I won’t get in your way.”

Mika nodded reluctantly and they walked swiftly out the door together. Glancing back, Haruka saw that both Hiro and Michiru wore identical expressions of concern. Michiru caught her gaze and mouthed, “Be careful.”

Haruka grimaced as she closed the door. It was going to be an interesting fight.


	7. Chapter 7

They raced towards the hospital, skidding to a stop at the back entrance. Mika leapt out without a word and ran for the emergency stairs that led to the roof. Haruka waited until she was out of sight, then left the car and climbed the stairs herself. Reaching the roof she heard the sounds of a battle. She cautiously peered around a corner: no need to interfere unless absolutely necessary. Mika seemed to be holding her own pretty well. The youma was smaller than most of the others had been, and was more vulnerable to Mika’s attacks. Haruka was so intent on watching that she almost missed the sound behind her. She spun around just in time to see a clawed hand swipe at her. Leaping back, she refocused her attention on the new adversary. Raising a hand into the air, she began to transform. Immediately she knew her timing was wrong. Mika’s battle had drawn closer and as she spun, changing civilian clothes for a sailor uniform, she saw Mika’s eyes widen. There was no doubt about it – Mika now knew her identity. Haruka mentally shook herself. It had been only a matter of time before the black warriors found out the sailor senshi’s human identities. She had hoped that it wouldn’t be in the heat of battle, but there was no helping that now. She finished transforming and sent an immediate attack at the newer youma. Surprisingly, the youma dodged it. What it lacked in size, it apparently made up for in speed. Haruka dodged from side to side, trying to confuse it. The youma tracked her with its head, weaving back and forth to keep her in focus. It sent another claw arching towards her, and she dove to one side, hitting the ground hard and narrowly avoiding being impaled on a talon. She heard a scream from behind her: yet another youma had joined the conflict. Mika was on the ground, though Haruka could see no visible signs of injury. Haruka kicked out hard and heard a grunt of pain from the youma. Running to Mika, she sent an attack towards the monsters surrounding her. They retreated quickly and she grabbed on to Mika’s arm, pulling her upright. The other warrior was winded, but seemed otherwise unharmed. They stood back to back, fighting in tandem with each other. Haruka would attack while Mika surrounded her with a protective bubble. It seemed to be working: the youma were backing away. Then from out of nowhere Haruka felt claws tighten around her waist, piercing her uniform and hooking below her ribcage. She cried out in agony as the youma swung her around, throwing her violently against a wall. She heard a crack and knew that one of her ribs had fractured. The adrenaline of the fight kept the pain at bay, but as she struggled to rise she saw that Mika was also in the grip of one of the youma. Rather than tossing her aside, the youma held her tighter, raising its free claw into the air. A dark hole appeared in the sky above it, and the youma leapt through it, disappearing from sight. The others followed, leaving Haruka alone on the roof. She pulled herself upright, grimacing. Inch by inch she made her way back to the stairs, stopping frequently to rest. With the threat of the youmas gone, the pain was growing. She was bleeding heavily from the puncture wounds, and as she reached the stairs her vision started to blur. She sat, intending to rest before continuing on, but as she hit the ground her ribs jarred violently. Gasping in pain, she felt her consciousness start to fade. Her last thought was of Mika, crying out as she was taken through the portal. She hoped that Hiro wouldn’t try to rescue her partner alone. With Michiru by her side, she would at least have a fighting chance. Collapsing against the stair rail, Haruka allowed blackness to overtake her.

Michiru sat on the couch with Hiro, attempting to look serene. She wanted Hiro to believe that everything was all right, that the girls would be returning at any time, but she knew better than to believe that herself. Haruka would normally have contacted her by now. The fact that there had been no word made her rigid and tense with worry. Dawn was just breaking over the horizon when Hiro stood suddenly. “We have to find them,” she said, no hint of panic in her voice.

She looked at Michiru as if daring her to argue, but to her surprise Michiru stood, walked to the closet, and got her jacket. Hiro met her at the door, but Michiru paused as they reached it: Haruka had taken the car, and Hiro was still injured.

Hiro laid a hand on her arm. “I’ll drive. I promise I’ll be careful.”

Michiru nodded gratefully, and they walked to the garage. Hiro winced as she mounted the motorcycle, but situated herself quickly and adjusted the controls. Michiru climbed on behind her, balancing as best she could and holding Hiro gingerly around the waist. They drove out of the garage smoothly, not too fast. Michiru could tell that Hiro was itching to rev the engine and race towards the hospital, but she was mindful of Michiru’s precarious seat behind her, and of her own injuries. Turning in at the hospital’s parking lot, Michiru immediately identified Haruka’s car, and the pair ran inside. The receptionist had no record of anyone checked in with injuries the night before, and Hiro breathed a sigh of relief. Michiru felt her shoulders tense up. Haruka would never leave her car behind – she was nearly as protective of that car as she was of Michiru. The fact that the car was still there, abandoned, meant that the situation was far worse than anyone had suspected. She turned without a word and walked out the door, ignoring the disgruntled look on the receptionist’s face. Hiro caught up with her and grabbed her arm, jolting Michiru out of her reverie. Hiro began to speak, but Michiru shook her head sharply and listened as hard as she could. Sometimes, if she worked hard enough, she could sense Haruka’s presence. She stood stock still for nearly a minute, with Hiro getting more and more impatient beside her. Finally, Michiru heard it – a faint whisper of Haruka’s essence, growing smaller by the second. She ran, Hiro close behind, and found the outer staircase. Looking up it she saw a dark shape curled at the top. “Haruka!” she yelled, racing up the stairs. Halfway up she slipped, and looking down she saw a trail of blood that led to the figure on the stairs. “Haruka!” she screamed again, scrambling to reach her partner’s side. Haruka was ashen, her body crumpled and small against the stair rail. Her uniform had disappeared, replaced by her civilian clothes, and her shirt was dark red, soaked in blood. Michiru rested a trembling hand on Haruka’s neck, checking for a pulse. She gave a shuddering sob of relief as she felt the weak beat against her fingers. Fumbling with Haruka’s shirt buttons, she laid bare her lover's chest, revealing three deep holes on either side of Haruka's torso. They stood out a stark red-black, having already bled the woman dry. The tiniest rise and fall of Haruka’s chest confirmed that she was still breathing. Tears mixed with the blood as Michiru ran swift hands over her companion, trying to ascertain whether there were any other injuries. She heard a voice yelling, but it was incomprehensible to her, so engrossed was she in the horrible scene before her. It was only when gentle hands joined hers on Haruka’s body that she came back to earth. She looked over to find that a white-uniformed nurse had arrived, joined by two paramedics who were carefully moving Haruka onto a stretcher. She stumbled back, and followed them as they moved slowly down the staircase. Once they were on the ground, the paramedics rushed Haruka to the emergency room, leaving Michiru standing numbly in the waiting area. She felt a timid hand work its way into hers. Hiro was standing beside her, a look of pure despair on her face. She turned towards Michiru, her gaze haunted. “I’m sorry,” she whispered hoarsely, “this is my fault. I should never have let her go. To let a civilian get hurt like this…” she broke off, her voice failing her.

Michiru drew her closer. “It’s not like that. Haruka isn’t…she knew what she was getting into.”

Hiro shook her head. “There’s no way she could have been prepared. Normal people don’t have to deal with monsters like these.”

Michiru shifted so that her arm was around Hiro. “Haruka isn’t normal, thank goodness. A normal person would be dead right now. I just hope that her strength will be enough…”

She broke off. She knew she shouldn’t tell Hiro their identities, but right now it didn’t seem to matter. Her eyes widened as she realized that Mika had not been on the roof. There had been no of sign of blood or of any other bodies. She glanced at Hiro. The girl was rigid with tension, rocking back and forth slightly. Michiru held her tighter. “We’ll find her – I promise.”

Hiro didn’t respond, so Michiru placed a hand under her chin, forcing Hiro to meet her gaze. “They will both come through this alive. I will help you find Mika if it’s the last thing I do.”

Hiro’s eyes welled with tears, and she wrapped her arms around Michiru’s neck, crying freely now. They held each other, sharing the pain that only they could understand. Michiru knew that somehow Hiro had realized she was a senshi. No more words were needed. They waited together, comforting each other, until the nurse came back into the room. Michiru broke free, her eyes widening as she waited for the nurse to speak. The nurse gave a tired smile. “She’s going to make it. The damage won’t be permanent, but she will need to rest for some time. She’s awake now, and she’s been asking for you.”

Michiru walked forward, but the nurse held up a hand. “Both of you, actually.”

Hiro and Michiru glanced at each other, then reached for each other’s hands once more and followed the nurse to Haruka’s room.


	8. Chapter 8

Haruka was sitting up in bed, her torso wrapped in bandages. She was still pale, but slight tinges of color were returning to her cheeks. Michiru rushed to kneel by her side, grabbing her hand as if scared she might disappear. Haruka ran tender fingers though her lover’s hair, but her eyes were locked with Hiro’s. They stared at each other for a long while, then Haruka broke the silence. “Why would the youma take Mika? What does she have that they want?"

Hiro looked away. “I can’t be sure, but I think it has to do with our mission here on earth.”

Michiru looked at Hiro, her eyes gentle. “Hiro, I think it is time for you to tell us who you are and what you know. I think I can speak for both of us when I say that we want to help you in any way we can.”

Hiro’s glance darted between the two of them. “Is it true then? You are the Sailor Senshi?”

Haruka inhaled sharply, then moaned as her ribs throbbed. Michiru held her hand even tighter, but nodded in answer to Hiro’s question. Hiro sighed, then pulled a chair over to the side of the bed so that the three of them were huddled together, free from any interruption or eavesdropping. She seemed hesitant as to how to begin. Michiru reached her free hand towards Hiro’s, creating a chain between the three of them. Hiro took a deep breath, then steeled herself and started to speak in a monotone.

“Long ago, the Moon Kingdom and the Sun Kingdom were at war. Both sides fought bravely and honorably, but the endless battles wreaked havoc and destruction throughout the solar system. Finally the rulers of each kingdom met in secret, devising a plan for peace that would last the rest of time. The treaty was meant to keep the Sun and the Moon allies, or at least to keep them from becoming antagonists once more. The strongest stipulation of the treaty was the exchange of the heirs. Once a millennium the heir to the throne of the Sun Kingdom would come to the Moon Kingdom’s court, staying for a year and learning the customs of that kingdom. The next millennium the Moon Kingdom’s heir would visit the Sun Kingdom’s court for the same purpose. The gesture was ceremonial, but of great importance to both sides, as it was a strong symbol of trust. The war ended and the treaty was put in place. Each millennium the exchange occurred, and as the rulers had predicted the Sun and Moon have been at peace since that day.”

Hiro looked away and was silent. Haruka nudged Michiru, and Michiru turned to Hiro, squeezing her hand. Hiro jolted out of her reverie and turned to face Haruka and Michiru once more.

“The princesses of each kingdom didn’t make their journey alone. The Moon princess was accompanied by the four inner Sailor Senshi, and the Sun princess was accompanied by the Guardians of the Sun - the Guardian of Light and the Guardian of Darkness. The Guardians were sworn to protect the princess from harm, even at the cost of their lives.” She looked as though she was going to cry. “Mika and I are the last Guardians. The Sun Princess was visiting the court of the Moon when the Dark Kingdom’s forces attacked. We did our best to help her escape, and we almost succeeded. We found secret passages out of the palace, but the youma quickly caught on and followed us. Mika took the princess and I stayed behind to act as a diversion. The youma were strong, and surrounded me. It was a hard fight, and I was having difficulty avoiding the attacks. One of the youma got close enough to reach me.”  
A single tear rolled slowly down her cheek. When she continued her voice was soft and hoarse. “There are reasons why the guardians are supposed to be celibate. Mika and I loved each other so much, and in the end it destroyed everything. She couldn’t stand leaving me behind. She came back to protect me, and our princess was lost. If we hadn’t gotten so involved, if we’d managed to keep our feelings for one another at bay, maybe it never would have happened.”

More tears followed the first, and Michiru rose from Haruka’s side to wrap her arms around Hiro, comforting her. “Is that why you were so distant with Mika?”

Hiro nodded. “I thought it would be better for her and for our mission if we didn’t get close to one another again. It hurt, seeing her so unhappy, but I didn’t want to make any mistakes this time around. But then, when she disappeared for so long, I was so terrified that she’d been injured, or worse. I thought about everything I'd do to keep her safe, and I realized that I would never have been able to leave her behind, battling the youma alone. Our mission will always come second, whether we like it or not.”

Hiro turned towards Michiru, nestling tighter into her embrace. Haruka waited a moment, then asked gently, “What exactly is your purpose here on earth?”

Hiro took a few shaky breaths, then straightened. “We have reason to believe that when Queen Serenity transported the Sailors and the Moon Princess to earth to be reincarnated, she also included our princess. Mika and I have been searching for her, but so have the youma. They want to find her and use her powers to conquer the entire galaxy.” Her eyes became hard. “I believe that they took Mika because they think she knows the princess’ location. If they find out she knows nothing, they will no longer have any use for her. I cannot allow her to be killed."

“We would never stand by and let that happen,” Michiru said firmly, “You and Mika mean too much to both of us.”

Hiro looked at her gratefully, but Haruka frowned. “You don’t have any idea where she is, though. How are we going to find her?”

To her surprise, Hiro looked confident, almost excited. “When Michiru was searching for you on the rooftop, I felt it. It was like I was the one searching, and when she found you I saw where you were at the same time she did. I think if we worked together we’d be able to see where they took Mika.”

Michiru nodded hesitantly and took both of Hiro’s hands. The two began to meditate silently, sinking deep into their own minds. Michiru focused on the sound of Hiro’s breathing and gradually was able to sense Hiro’s thoughts. As one they sent their combined consciousness out, covering the entire city, farther than either of them had ever reached before. Their thoughts raced over and through buildings, searching desperately for any sign of Mika. A sudden tug pulled their minds south of Tokyo, away from the city and out into the bay. A silent cry of agony came towards them from across the water, and Michiru felt her connection with Hiro fade. They both opened their eyes, panting. Hiro was dead white and shaking, and Michiru felt lightheaded and nauseous, but both turned towards Haruka and said in unison, “Sarushima. The youma have taken her to the island.”


	9. Chapter 9

Michiru drove at top speed down the coast and towards the island. Haruka sat half reclined in the back seat, talking rapidly into her cell phone. The doctors had objected strongly to her leaving, but she had ignored their warnings. There was plenty of time for healing later - Mika was more important. Hiro sat next to Michiru, staring straight ahead. Once in a while Michiru would glance over at her to see if she’d moved, but nothing could shake her intense stare. It was as though she was willing Mika to stay alive until they came.

By the time they reached the harbor, a small motorboat was waiting for them, keys in the ignition. Michiru looked around for the owner, but the dock was empty. Apparently, Haruka had more connections than she’d thought. They carefully got into the boat and Michiru yielded the wheel to Haruka’s expertise. Hiro was still in a sort of trance, so Michiru sat beside her and took her hand. Hiro jumped and looked up. Michiru smiled faintly. “She’ll be alright. We know where she is now, and we have the element of surprise.”

Hiro nodded and looked down. Michiru shared an uneasy glance with Haruka. Both of them realized that if the youmas wanted to kill Mika they would have done so immediately, rather than taking her captive. That she was still alive suggested some sort of trap. They sat in silence as the boat skimmed over the waves. Haruka cut the engine as they neared the island so that no one would hear their approach. They avoided the sandy beach, as it was too exposed. Instead they headed around the island towards the caves, pulling the boat ashore and securing it before carefully making their way up the long wooden staircase. Michiru could see that Haruka was having trouble, but she was making every effort to hide her discomfort, and Michiru decided not to comment. Instead she reached for Hiro’s hand and they sent their combined consciousness out once more, searching for Mika. They found her almost immediately: she was in one of the island’s many abandoned military bunkers, and she was in pain. Hiro started to run, but slowed when she saw that Haruka was unable to keep up. The three of them walked quickly but carefully through the trees, ignoring the footpaths and trail markers. The thick jungle overhead cast black shadows over the ground, hiding them from view. They arrived at a series of long tunnels, and proceeded through them warily. Finally they reached the largest tunnel of all, its inside pitch black. Michiru hesitated, but Hiro walked in without a second thought. She could feel Mika getting closer, and her pain was growing. She sped up, eyes darting around to find an opening, a gate, anything to get her to her partner. There, on the left, nearly hidden in the dark, was a door. It had obviously been blocked off from visitors, but the obstructions had been roughly moved aside. It was open just a crack, but no light shone from inside. Hiro raced through it, only to find herself surrounded by darkness. She blinked, waiting for her eyes to adjust, then froze as she heard a moan from close by. “Hiro,” the voice whispered, “Help me…”

Hiro stumbled blindly towards the voice, reaching out towards her lover. She felt a hand in hers, but it was not Mika’s. The hand was as cold as ice, and it gripped her so hard that she gasped in surprise and pain. A low, triumphant laugh echoed through the room, and the scene was suddenly illuminated by bright green light. A tall woman held her arm. She wore a short dress made up of a patchwork of animal skins, and her arms had leather cords wrapped around them to the elbow. An elaborate wire crown sat atop her tangled green hair, and she was grinning, her teeth sharp and pointed. “Well, well, well. Look what we have here - a new guest to join in our fun.”

Hiro heard guffaws from the other side of the room and twisted her head around to see their source. Two huge male youma were standing close together in the corner. At their feet, bound and unmoving, lay Mika. “Mika,” Hiro screamed, “Mika!”

The green-haired woman pulled her back, grinning. “Don’t worry, she’s alright. You didn’t think we’d kill her, did you? Without her, how would we ever have been able to lure you here?”

One of the youma kicked Mika roughly and she turned over, coughing. Despite her predicament, Hiro couldn’t help a small sigh of relief escaping her lips. The woman saw her reaction and smiled cruelly. “Of course, now that you’re both here, the fun can begin. One of the youma approached them and picked Hiro up bodily, carrying her over to where Mika lay, forcing her to her knees, and holding her down. The other youma pulled Mika up by her hair so that the guardians knelt side by side. The woman paced in front of them, tapping her fingers together as if pondering what to do with them. Hiro clenched her fists. “What is it you want from us? We don’t know where the princess is any more than you do.”

The woman stopped and stared at her, then laughed once more, her voice ringing loudly in the small room. “Oh, my dear, you seem very misinformed. We know exactly where the princess is.”

Hiro froze, and she saw Mika’s eyes widen. They couldn’t possibly know. If they knew, then why would they be after the guardians? It didn’t make sense, not at all.

The woman seemed to guess what she was thinking, and smirked. “Poor little girls. Didn’t you ever wonder why we kept going after you?”

Hiro paused, then said uncertainly, “You knew we were searching for the princess, and you wanted to stop us from finding her before you did.”

The woman shook her head. “We’ve known how to find the princess all along. It was you that we were hunting. You are the keys to unlocking the princess’ power.”

Hiro and Mika looked at each other, bewildered.

The woman sighed. “Alright, I’ll explain it to you, and I’ll speak slowly so that you’ll understand.” She took a deep breath and began speaking in a singsong voice as though she was talking to small children.

“Long ago there were two guardians who betrayed their princess, saving each other instead of doing their duty. They were reincarnated on earth, thousands of years later, and began searching for their lost ruler. They thought that the princess would be wandering about on earth, waiting for anyone to find her, like some sort of hidden treasure. They looked everywhere for the keys to finding her, but the foolish little guardians didn’t know that the princess wasn’t human at all. The spirit of the princess lay inside of them, her guardians, trapped in their very hearts. The only way to release the princess – “ the woman leaned forward, her grin becoming maniacal, “is to sacrifice those hearts, and kill the guardians as they should have been killed a millennium ago.”

As if on cue, the youma holding Mika slammed her to the floor once more. Hiro watched helplessly as the youma extended huge claws, its hand hovering menacingly over Mika’s heart. The woman took a step closer. “Goodbye, guardians, and thank you. With your help, we will gain all the power we need to take over the universe.”

She motioned the youma to strike and Hiro closed her eyes, horrified to see her lover so cruelly executed. She heard a scream, and felt the youma’s grip on her disappear. Caught off guard, she fell to the floor, and looked up to see the Sailors standing in the doorway. Their power had destroyed the youma and thrown the green haired woman to the far corner of the room. Hiro struggled to stand and felt Haruka at her side, helping her. Michiru was untying Mika, putting an arm around her and practically carrying her to the door. The four of them ran from the room as best they could, wending their way back through the tunnels and the jungle towards the rocks. Hiro could tell that Haruka was struggling to keep up. She was pale and shaking slightly, but refused to slow down. They reached the rocks and froze. The boat was nowhere in sight. The tide had come in while they were gone, and now the water lapped at the foot of the rocks, forcing them to take shelter in a large cave. Haruka collapsed in exhaustion and Michiru ran to her partner, looking anxious. Hiro stumbled over to Mika. She was sitting on the ground, staring out at the waves. Hiro sat with a thump behind her, wrapping her arms around Mika’s neck. “It’s alright, Mika. We’ll be safe now. The sailors got rid of the youma, all we have to do is get back to the mainland.”

Mika did not answer. Hiro held her tightly and they sat in silence for a few minutes. Then Mika whispered, almost inaudibly, “She’s right.”

Hiro felt a chill run down her spine. “Who? Who’s right?”

Mika stared straight ahead blankly, but continued, “That woman. The princess must be trapped inside of us. That’s why we always feel so close to her, but are never able to find her.”

Hiro leapt back, eyes wide. “No, that isn’t possible. The princess would never require such a sacrifice from us…” She trailed off, remembering the battle and their duty as guardians.

Mika nodded. “She’s already asked it of us, and we failed her. This is the only way to atone for our mistake – for my mistake.” Hiro saw the flash of metal in Mika’s hand, and realized with a shock what it meant. Without her knowledge Mika had stolen the dagger from Hiro’s belt, and now raised it above her head. Hiro screamed, but it was too late. Mika’s hand plunged downwards, burying the dagger in her own heart.

Blood stained the sand around her as Hiro vainly tried to put pressure on the wound. She was sobbing, and felt a light hand close around hers. Mika gazed sadly at her, life fading from her eyes. “If it will save the princess…it will be worth the sacrifice.”

Her eyes closed and Hiro screamed her name over and over, shaking her, trying desperately to bring her back. She barely felt the sailors' hands as they pulled her away from Mika’s body. Michiru was crying as well, and Haruka wouldn’t let go of her partner’s hand even as she tried to help Hiro. Hiro wrenched away from the sailors’ grip, tenderly holding the body and staring at the shell that once was her lover. Leaning forward, she kissed Mika on the lips. Then, with one fluid movement, she grasped the fallen dagger and thrust it into her own breast.

Michiru gasped and Haruka pulled her closer. She had known, from the moment that Hiro pulled away from them, what the second guardian was going to do. Tears fell unchecked from her eyes as she watched Hiro collapse onto Mika’s lifeless body, their blood mingling. Hiro reached a shaking hand forward to caress Mika’s cheek. “I won’t let you go anywhere without me.”

Her hand fell limply onto her lover’s chest, and Haruka knew she was gone. She drew Michiru closer to her and they held each other, crying silently for their friends. The darkness of the cave surrounded them, until all they could hear was the rush of the waves and their own uneven breathing. Then, slowly, a light began to form above the bodies of the guardians. It grew larger and larger, illuminating the cave with a soft white glow. The bodies stood out in sharp contrast below it, the red against the black of their uniforms and the white of the sand creating a stark, desolate picture. A flash of green erupted behind them, and a low, ominous laugh filled the cave. The sailors spun to see the green-haired woman standing on a small ledge behind them, her hands outstretched. The ball of light flew to her, and she cradled it in her arms. When she looked up, her smile was triumphant. “Now the power of the sun is mine - the guardians fell straight into my trap. My youma could never have released the princess. Only their own weapons in their own hands could unleash the power of the sun. The fools never even realized what they were doing.” Her laugh became menacing as she stared at the sailors below her. “You two could have ruined everything. If you’d managed to persuade them not to kill themselves, all this power would have been lost.” She moved the ball of light in front of her and grinned, the deranged look returning to her face. “I think it’s only fitting to test my new power on the two of you. I look forward to hearing you scream.”

Haruka knew there was no time to fight back. She threw herself over Michiru, shielding her as a blinding white light filled the cave.

The light slowly faded and Haruka blinked, looking around. The green-haired woman was nowhere to be seen. The cave was lit up as bright as day, and the ball of light had grown to be larger than Haruka herself. Then, slowly, it began to collapse inward on itself, forming a shining figure too bright to look at for long. That light too began to fade, revealing a tall woman in a long black dress. Her skin was dark, but her hair was golden, twisted about her head in a myriad of braids. Gold jewelry decorated her arms and a shimmering gold pendant hung around her neck. Her eyes were large and chocolate brown, and they filled with tears as she stared down at her fallen guardians. She knelt beside their bodies, stroking Hiro’s hair and running a hand down Mika’s cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered, and allowed her tears to fall onto their lifeless forms.

A moment passed in pure silence. Even the sound of the waves seemed to stop. Then, slowly, a hint of color returned to Mika’s lips. Hiro’s skin lost its deathly paleness and became golden tan once more. A shuddering breath filled her lungs and she opened her eyes to see Mika below her, breathing calmly and evenly. Hiro struggled to rise and felt a firm hand on her arm, guiding her to her feet. She turned, intending to thank Haruka or Michiru, but instead met the gaze of the princess. She cried out and dropped to her knees once more, this time in reverence. Mika struggled to kneel beside her and the pair bowed their heads, awed by the presence of their ruler. The princess stood before them, still glittering with light. “Rise,” she commanded, and they stood. Mika nearly fell and Hiro reached out to help her before turning to the front once more. The princess’ expression was unreadable. “My dearest guardians, what should be done about you?”

Hiro felt a chill run down her spine. She had never considered it before, but it made sense that the princess would punish them for their betrayal. Unconsciously, she reached out and held Mika’s hand. The princess saw the gesture and smiled slightly. “Your love for one another made you desert me during battle.”

Mika blushed red, and Hiro shifted closer to her. The princess smiled wider. “But your love for me rescued me from my imprisonment. I have no doubt of your loyalty to me and to our kingdom. And it would be foolish to punish a love as deep as yours, despite your positions as my guardians.”

Hiro and Mika looked at one another in astonishment. The princess turned aside, this time addressing Haruka and Michiru. The pair hesitated, then knelt and bowed their heads in turn.

“And you, Sailor Uranus, Sailor Neptune. I owe you a debt of gratitude as well, not only for helping me but also for helping my guardians. They were lost for a long time, and now they’ve found each other once again. If ever you are in need of aid, call upon me and I will do my best to assist you.”

The sailors murmured their thanks, rising to their feet once more. The princess returned her attention to the guardians. “Our home has been abandoned for thousands of years. It is time, I think, to rebuild our kingdom and restore it to its former glory.”

Hiro and Mika nodded, straightening to attention. “We will follow you, your highness, and help you in any way we can,” Hiro said resolutely.

Mika nodded, but she looked sad. The princess walked to her, lifting her chin so that their eyes met. “Mika dearest, say what’s on your mind. You never used to be afraid to speak.”

Mika glanced away, then said hesitantly, “It’s nothing. It’s only…I will miss this place very much.”

The princess looked at Hiro. “And you, Hiro? What are your feelings?”

Hiro met her gaze firmly. “I will do my duty to our kingdom and to you.”

The princess smiled. “No less than I’d expect from you Hiro. But that wasn’t my question.” Hiro looked confused, so the princess continued. “I asked, Hiro, how you feel.”

Hiro paused, then looked down. “I… I too will miss this place.”

She blushed as though she’d admitted an embarrassing weakness. The princess took a step back from them. “Thank you for being honest. I would never want you to hide your true feelings from me.” She smiled again, a bit sadly. “Our kingdom is in ruins. It will take a millennium to repair. There will always be more to do, and things not done now can easily wait until later. You will be by my side enough during the process. I believe it would be better for you to live out your earth lives before coming to the sun.”

The guardians stared at her, astonished. “But… your highness – “ Hiro began.

Mika elbowed her, and the princess laughed, a musical sound that washed over them in a wave of warmth. “Enjoy life, Hiro. The work will wait. Only when you have taken your last breath on earth will you come to the sun to aid me. Until then, I will watch over you from afar.”

With a final nod to the sailors, she turned towards the cave’s entrance and left, gliding out across the waves until she was under the open sky. Dawn was just beginning to break over the horizon as white light gathered around her once more. This time the light broke into a thousand pieces and flew towards the rising sun, joining with its rays as it turned the darkness of night into the soft, peaceful gold of morning.


	10. Epilogue

The stands were filled with people waiting for the race to begin. Michiru and Mika sat near the top, with a view of the whole track. As the starting gun went off the sound of engines filled the air, and the crowd cheered wildly. A few riders broke off from the rest of the pack, and as expected, Haruka and Hiro were among them. In the last turn the two of them picked up speed, leaving the other riders behind. Michiru rose to her feet as the pair approached the final jump. Both riders sailed over it easily, but the crowd sighed in disappointment. “Damn,” the man next to them muttered, “I was hoping for some of that fancy trick riding.”

Michiru glanced back at the track. The judges had ruled Hiro the winner by a tenth of a second, and she and Haruka had taken off their helmets and were joking around. Michiru turned to Mika. The girl had not moved from her seat, and was smiling smugly. Michiru sat next to her once more. “So why didn’t Hiro take the jump dead-on, like usual?” she asked, curious.

Mika smiled even wider. “Well, before she rode like she didn’t care what happened to her. Now, though, I guess she’s found something worth living for.”

The girls looked at each other and laughed, then climbed down the stands and ran to meet their lovers.


End file.
